Chapter 3
1114 Words
Charlotte's POV:
Ethan frowned and stared at me for several long seconds.
Then he let out a short laugh, clearly convinced I was just playing another game to get his attention.
"Fine," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just don't call me later crying and begging me to come pick you up."
I wouldn't. Those six years of chaos and foolishness were over.
What Ethan didn't know was that Horizon Group had sent me a recruitment offer every year without fail.
And yesterday, right on schedule, another invitation arrived in my inbox.
If everything went as planned, I would be leaving for Harbor City the day after tomorrow.
When I stepped out of the bar, a taxi driver waiting near the curb rolled down his window.
"It's pretty late," he said kindly. "Need a ride home?"
Home? What home did I still have?
That two-hundred-thousand-dollar payout from years ago had already severed every tie I had with my family.
As for Crestview Estates, the luxury residence where I currently live, Ethan purchased it only this year.
My accident had happened the day before we were supposed to obtain our marriage license.
From beginning to end, we had never become husband and wife in the eyes of the law.
That house had never truly been mine.
The city sparkled with thousands of lights, yet not a single one was waiting for me.
I shook my head. "No thanks."
As I wandered aimlessly down the street, a road sign caught my eye.
Mapleford Avenue.
Only then did I realize I had somehow returned to the neighborhood where Ethan and I had first struggled to build a life together.
Six years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Because the district had been preserved as a historical area, very little had changed.
Even the little late-night soy milk shop was still open.
I walked inside and paid. "A cup of soy milk, please."
As I waited, memories flooded back.
Back then, I spent every waking moment drawing architectural blueprints, squeezing every minute from the day like water from a sponge.
The harder I worked, the higher my productivity bonus would be.
I pushed myself to the limit simply to carve out a future through the uncertainty.
Ethan was just as busy. Working late into the night was normal for him.
No matter how exhausted he was, he always came home carrying a cup of soy milk.
We weren't wealthy, far from it. That simple drink had been one of the few sweet things in our lives. The flavor hadn't changed. Only the sincerity of the person who used to bring it had.
I stood there for a very long time.
Long enough for the paper cup in my hands to grow cold.
Eventually, I opened the email from Horizon Group and pressed Confirm.
Ethan arrived far sooner than I expected.
The payment app I had used was still linked to his bank account.
I knew he would come looking for me.
The truth was, he could have pretended I had simply wandered off and finally rid himself of the burden I had become.
But his conscience wouldn't allow it. His feelings toward me had become like water resting on delicate rice paper—too close, and everything might dissolve; too far, and he couldn't quite let go.
His eyes were bloodshot, his voice rough from exhaustion.
It was obvious he had intended to scold me for running off.
Before he could speak, however, the shop owner suddenly recognized him.
"Ethan?" the elderly owner exclaimed with surprise. "Is this really your past girlfriend?"
He looked between us and chuckled. "I thought I was mistaken. You two must be married by now, right?"
Every complaint Ethan had prepared vanished from his throat.
He glanced around the familiar shop, then merely smiled politely. He neither confirmed nor denied it. That wasn't surprising.
Whenever people asked who I was, Ethan usually described me as a family member. Nothing more.
A painful ache rose in my chest. Even breathing felt difficult. At that moment, I finally made my decision. I would end things properly. I was leaving anyway.
It was better to part peacefully than continue dragging this relationship through more pain.
"Wait here," Ethan instructed. "I'll go get the car."
I hurried after him. "Ethan, I've recovered—"
Before I could finish speaking, headlights suddenly exploded into view.
A car came hurtling toward us. The impact sent me flying, pain erupting throughout my body as I slammed onto the pavement. My vision blurred.
Through the haze, I saw Laura gripping the steering wheel, shock and panic covering her face. Ethan saw her too.
Laura stumbled from the vehicle, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I only wanted to solve this problem for you!" she cried.
"Because of her, you even gave up your expansion plans in Northern Europe!" Her voice cracked.
"And I can't accept it! Why does an i***t get all of your attention?" She pointed toward me. "I only came into your life a few years later!"
The Ethan she knew was already standing at the peak of the business world, confident, successful, powerful.
She had never seen the man who spent months living in a damp basement apartment where sunlight never reached.
She didn't know there had been winters when we couldn't even afford heating.
Back then, we survived cold nights by holding each other close beneath a single blanket.
If Laura had met the struggling Ethan from those days, the man who bowed his head and begged clients for opportunities, would she still feel so resentful?
*****
The next day I opened my eyes, sunlight filtered through white hospital curtains.
The person sitting beside my bed wasn't Ethan.
It was my former best friend, Evelyn Parker.
The moment she noticed me looking around the room, searching for someone, she immediately lied.
"Ethan went home to rest," she said with forced casualness. "He'll come back later."
I simply watched her. Evelyn avoided my gaze, then squeezed my hand.
"Don't worry," she continued firmly. "Laura Sullivan is going to prison."
As one of the leading attorneys at a prestigious law firm in the capital city, Evelyn had both the ability and the determination to make that happen.
- Writer
